SHEDDING!!!!!!!!!! in winter...

[lkblazin]

One of my mares is shedding. I live in northern Illinois, so its cold and we still have snow. Is this normal for anyone else? She has never done this before.

Background info. Her name is whisper, and she is 16years old. She is currently pregnant, with her second foal. A couple years ago she got west Nile. It was really bad. I drove her up to Wisconsin and they said she wasn't gonna make it. So we said to wait and see what happens tomorrow. She made it after staying there for a week. She is back to her normal. Obviously she is not always the brightest girl in the pasture. Could the wn be affecting her.. ? I dont have her blanketed. Right now she has the chinchilla hair. She has shed out most of the longer strands of hair. So its that 2 or 3in fluff that's left.

My worry is she will shed fully. What is going on with her? Anyone seen this before? Is it the pregnancy?

 

[Minimor]

Mine often start shedding in January --unusual that none have started yet this year, but then we have had a lot of cloudy days so less light than some winters. Don't worry--it is unlikely that she will shed out slick before spring arrives. I have never had it happen, even with those who start shedding at Christmas time.

The bred mares are often the first ones to start dropping hair.

 

[Barnmother]

As of December 21st (the winter solstice) and the shortest day of the year, the days are getting longer, longer day light hours start the first signs of shedding, shedding should get in full force when we get more hours of daylight. By the same token the longer and denser winter hair starts to grow right after June 21st (the summer solstice), longest day of the year that is why horses are fully coated before winter begins, and for the most part, shed out before the heat of summer.

 

[lkblazin]

Good to know others have seen this. Odd that she has never done this before, but the pregnancy does seem to make sense. Last time she was pregnant was quite a few years ago. So would not remember shedding. Thank you for the quick responses Minimore and Barnmother

 

[shorthorsemom]

Mine are shedding

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

One of our pregnant mini mares (due in March) is shedding, while the one due in the next couple weeks is not. Our Arab X Mare (due end of Feb) is also shedding. My APHA stallion and his daughter are also shedding. BUT, we also live in Tucson, AZ.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Mine are not, but we have had unusually gray skies all winter. The light explanation makes sense. Usually mine are beginning to shed a little by now.

I hate it when they scare us and cause worry.

 

[Barnmother]

I am telling you girls it is a daylight thing to be sure.

 

[Ridgerunner]

We live in south Missouri,and my white girls are shedding like crazy! The colored ones and the boys aren't. When I have bred mares, they usually start blowing their coats in December.

 

[izmepeggy]

I couldn't believe that my horses are shedding as much as they are this early. Hopefully a sign of SPRING!

 

[lkblazin]

Peggy that is exactly what I pulled out of my girls back. Right now we are under a blizzard warning. Woooohoo!!!: (. Thank you everyone for your replies they are all very helpful

 

[AngC]

I had read that shedding has to do with daylight exposure, vice temperature. Also that show-barns run lights to regulate shedding/or not shedding to obtain whatever show-barns want. I don't have the various links anymore. It seemed to make sense at the time.

I'm too novice to manipulate light exposure to affect shedding, but I have noticed this year that Nicky (my avatar photo-leopard appaloosa) is shedding very early. His body hair is fairly long, so I started with a scrub brush, but this past weekend I became annoyed with hair-in-nose and went at him with the shop-vac.

What is odd to me is that Baby (Nicky's daughter) who is half-a-leopard (i.e., she's blanket appaloosa but with everything turning whiter each year) is not shedding one bit. I've scrubbed her and nothing-nada-zip, no hair. Baby's dam (who is some sort of brown color) is not shedding at all either.

I don't get it.

 

[chandab]

How old is Baby? If she's young enough it could be an age related thing too, young ones seem to take a bit longer to shed their coats. Some you just never know what you'll get.

 

[AnnaC]

I find that the entire boys start shedding earlier than the girls/geldings. a natural happening I think as the boys have to be "looking good" asap for the coming season to attract the ladies!?? I also find that any horses with whilte in their colouring start shedding those areas before any of the coloured areas.

I would be careful about doing too much to help with any early shedding (grooming etc) in case the weather still produces a further cold snap - you may find you suddenly have to dig out rugs for minis that have become a bit chilly.

 

[Deborah B]

Yes My stallion is shedding and my pinto mares. Yeah. It is a good time to go over each horse and make sure there are no skin problems too.

 

[Kim P]

I only have one that is shedding, Wishbone. You can pull handfuls from him.

 

[AngC]

Baby will be 3 years old, end of May, on Memorial Day (obviously she was born that day to honor all American veterans, including her other mom and dad---that would be my husband and I.)

Today while I was cleaning up their area, I ran my fingers into Baby's and Coco's hair at various spots and pulled pretty hard. Nothing. Their hair is not ready to release/shed. On Nicky, I can run my fingers in his hair and remove big, fat wads of hair. So I'm wondering whether AnnaC has a point about intact boys; it doesn't really matter, I guess. (except I don't want Nicky gussy-ing himself up for the girls. ...one would be incest and the other I don't want to take the risk.)

Anyway, the shop vac is really great for Nicky hair-removal. (well, except my husband doesn't know I've been stealing it to vacuum horses.) The husband is going to have a freak-fit if he ever catches me doing that.

 

[paintponylvr]

Anyway, the shop vac is really great for Nicky hair-removal. (well, except my husband doesn't know I've been stealing it to vacuum horses.) The husband is going to have a freak-fit if he ever catches me doing that.

FUNNY!! Mine did, too and I was the one that BOUGHT THE SHOP VAC... I like grooming with a rubber curry and then using the vac to pull off the loose hair. If it's loose enough to begin with, just vac it up... I don't have the curry comb attachments for ours. Wonder if they would work for the shop vac.

 

[paintponylvr]

I find that shedding is very individual and is also based on age and health as well as weather/length of daylight.

I have one line of small shetlands that never "slick out". They shed down to a certain point, but then retain a very dense, heavy coat. The dam is like that and now the two sons of hers are too. At least the youngest is looking like he will be the same. He'll be 2 in April.

 

[lkblazin]

That's interesting Paula. I have a mother and daughter that getter super long and thick coats. Both shed out fully though. But really long. They also grow mane and tails like its nobodys business. The daughter is my girl that is shedding right now. The other day she had frost on her back ( reminded me of a silver back gorilla).